How Coca-Cola affects your body when you drink it

Sugary drinks are considered a major contributor to health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay. But have you ever wondered exactly what these beverages do to your body after consumption? One researcher has created an infographic that explains what happens to the body within an hour of drinking a can of Coca-Cola.

A 12-ounce serving of Coca-cola contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around half of the US population drink sugary beverages on any given day, with consumption of these drinks highest among teenagers and young adults.

There are approximately 10 teaspoons of added sugar in a single can of cola. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommend consuming no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily, meaning drinking just one serving of cola a day could take us well above these guidelines.

As such, it is no surprise that sugary drink consumption is associated with an array of health conditions. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, people who drink 1-2 cans of sugary beverages daily are 26% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and last month, Medical News Today reported on a study claiming 184,000 global deaths each year are down to sugary drink consumption.

Now, an infographic created by British pharmacist Niraj Naik - based on research by health writer Wade Meredith - shows the damage a 330 ml can of Coca-Cola can do to the body within 1 hour of consumption.

Coca-Cola 'comparable to heroin' in how it stimulates the brain's reward and pleasure centers

According to Naik, the intense sweetness of Coca-Cola as a result of its high sugar content should make us vomit as soon as it enters the body. However, the phosphoric acid in the beverage dulls the sweetness, enabling us to keep the drink down.

Blood sugar levels increase dramatically within 20 minutes of drinking the Cola, explains Naik, causing a burst of insulin. The liver then turns the high amounts of sugar circulating our body into fat.

Within 40 minutes, the body has absorbed all of the caffeine from the Cola, causing a dilation of pupils and an increase in blood pressure. By this point, the adenosine receptors in the brain have been blocked, preventing fatigue.

Five minutes later, production of dopamine has increased - a neurotransmitter that helps control the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. According to the infographic, the way Coca-Cola stimulates these centers is comparable to the effects of heroin, making us want another can.

This infographic reveals what Coca-Cola does to the body within 1 hour of consumption.Image credit: Niraj Naik/Wade Meredith

An hour after drinking the beverage, a sugar crash will begin, causing irritability and drowsiness. In addition, the water from the Cola will have been cleared from the body via urination, along with nutrients that are important for our health.

According to Naik, the infographic is not only applicable to Coca-Cola, but to all caffeinated fizzy drinks.

"Coke is not just high in high fructose corn syrup, but it is also packed with refined salts and caffeine," writes Naik on his blog The Renegade Pharmacist. "Regular consumption of these ingredients in the high quantities you find in Coke and other processed foods and drinks, can lead to higher blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and obesity."

"However a small amount now and then won't do any major harm," he adds. "The key is moderation."

In a press statement, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola says the beverage is "perfectly safe to drink and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle."

Comments(16)

These sugary drinks and soda have a lot of side-effects and these are just some of them. When you look into the ingredients, you would find that they are very harmful as well.

If you look into any professional diet, you would find that they do not allow such drinks. When i was following the diet of lisa plog, it did not allow any such drinks and I lost 22 pounds with the help of her diet. Google for "lisa plog diet plans" to find her diet.

These soda and other drinks need to be avoided strictly, if you want to stay fit.

"10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system"
There are 43 calories in a teaspoon of sugar for a total of 430 calories.
There are 150 calories in a 12 ounce can of soda, what happened to the extra 280 calories??
When a study has such a massive error, or lie, the rest of your work is suspect. If you titled your work as "Hit piece on soda" with a side note of "Not actual information" you would be right.

Fructose is not properly allocated and sequestered by insulin. Fructose absorbs by mass action. The sudden surge of fructose especially influences adrenal metabolism. The surge of fructose boosts the adrenal to produce addictive hormones and epinephrine/speed.

Sugar association says there are 15 calories per teaspoon of sugar; I had previously read that there were 17. So 43 calories per teaspoon of sugar is not accurate. (5 calories per gram of sugar/starch; 9 per gram of fat.) A teaspoon of fat contains no more than 34 calories, and likely fewer.

It would be useful to have a scientific article on the effects of diet Coca-Cola. It's annoying to be constantly bombarded with alarmist warnings that assume all soft drinks contain sugar. Some of us cannot tolerate so much sweetness and prefer the taste of diet soft drinks.

How does artificial sugars affect the body? These are unnational chemicals and people tend to intake more of that now to avoid intake of sugars. I've always felt sick in my stomach after eating artifical sweeteners. Also it is said they turn to poisonous substance when heated ie. put into hot beverages or used with baking and cooking. What testing has been done to identify what happens to the body with artificial sweeteners? Also stevia, honey and all others when consumed in larger quantities to meet people's sweetness levels cause the same problems as sugars but they advertise it as if it is healthier to use them.

greetings i have been drinking coke for as long as i remember. after i used by birth control pill i gained over 70lbs and now am over weight by 66lbs. i have tried to stop the use of sodas but it seems am addicted.
please advise on anything i could use to substitute to coke.

Coca Cola doesn't use sugar like the article suggests, it uses something worse HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) which is why the obesity rate went through the roof after being introduced in 1977. With obesity comes other ailments like heart disease and diabetes. The sad thing is that it's cheaper to use than sugar which is why many companies use as an additive. These companies know that HFCSs are dangerous like tobacco but deny, deny deny just like big tobacco did for decades.

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